DISCLAIMER
The University of Hull will use all reasonable
endeavours to deliver programmes in
accordance with their descriptions in this
publication. However, it reserves the right to
make variations in the contents or methods of
delivery or assessment, to discontinue
programmes and to merge or combine them, if
such action is considered necessary. If the
university does discontinue any programme, it
will use reasonable endeavours to provide a
suitable alternative.

Printed January 2009

Welcome
CONTENTS
MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN
Message from the Dean

1

About the Hull MBA

2

The key themes of the Hull MBA

5

Support, benefits and outcomes

7

About the Business School

9

Welcome to Hull University Business School.

Research at Hull University Business School

10

The University and the city

11

Applying for the Hull MBA

12

The Hull MBA, fully accredited by AMBA
(the Association of MBAs), has been
created to prepare you for the
challenges of managing in an
international business environment,
working in organisations which are
characterised by complex connections.
Your programme of study will help you
to understand these connections and
seize opportunities presented by them to enhance operations
and pursue new ventures – making you an invaluable asset to
any organisation.
Our outstanding premises combine refurbished listed buildings
and new build to provide inspirational surroundings for staff
and the 3,000-plus students enrolled with the school. The
recent opening of the Logistics Institute, based at the school,
has added further prestige to this development, creating a
world-class facility in global logistics, supply chain management
and related technologies, and adding to the school’s existing
strengths and specialisms.
Special consideration has been given to our MBA students,
and dedicated lecture theatres, seminar rooms and computer
suites have been created to enhance the learning experience.
You will also benefit from our state-of-the-art management
learning laboratory and, for those more relaxed moments, a
fair-trade cafe.
Independent accreditation and assessment have confirmed our
status as a leading UK centre for learning, teaching and
research. Our teaching has been assessed as ‘excellent’ and
our research as demonstrating national and international
excellence. We have received recognition from two of the
leading global accreditation systems for business schools
(EQUIS and AMBA), which places us among the top 20
business schools in the UK. These credentials assure you of
our commitment to achieving the highest standards in every
area of our operations, and to providing you with the very
best in education for business and management.
As you read on and learn more about the degree, the facilities
and the student experience that we offer, we hope that you
will make the decision to study for the Hull MBA. We are sure
that we can set you on the path to continued success in what
is sure to be a rewarding managerial career.
Professor Mike C Jackson

Business School • 1

About the Hull MBA
WHAT IS THE MASTERS OF
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
(MBA)?
The Hull MBA is a highly prestigious
programme which offers education at an
advanced level. It fosters organisational
literacy, pragmatic business skills and
awareness of the changing context in which
contemporary organisations operate. The
programme
• provides the broad-based education
necessary for actual or aspiring senior
managers to operate effectively in
international contexts and does so by
building the necessary holistic perspective
on business activity and managerial
decision making
• provides opportunities to pursue
personal choice reflecting differing
sectors or contexts while holding true to
the generalist, strategic nature of an MBA
• develops critical thinking skills grounded
in students’ existing familiarity with the
operational and strategic concerns across
an enterprise and thereby produces wellrounded and effective managers with the
capability to fulfil their personal objectives
• balances thorough coverage of
fundamental management principles with
exposure to innovative and challenging
ideas in a programme that is rigorous
and stretching.

2 • The Hull MBA

WHAT YOU NEED TO ACHIEVE THE
MBA
Those taking up study must have a
sustained level of motivation and
commitment to the programme, which runs
over one year. Participants will also need an
enquiring and open mind and be willing to
share their own knowledge of and
perspectives on issues that affect every
business. This reflection on existing
knowledge helps to maximise the value of
the course and the potential for intellectual
growth and development.

WHO CAN APPLY?
Graduates with at least three years’
appropriate experience can apply for the
Hull MBA. The programme takes students
from many countries and draws upon
material that is international in scope.

‘

I found in my MBA study exactly
what I was looking for – the
possibility of seeing the world and
its business processes from
different points of view and
different sides, and developing
theoretical knowledge of the
business which can support my
practical experience.

’

THE HULL MBA APPROACH
As an experienced manager, you will no
doubt appreciate the conflict between a
necessarily ‘hands-on’ approach to work and
the need to step back from the operational
detail to plan at a strategic level. When the
focus is too often on the former, managers
can become blinkered as they concentrate
on immediate tasks and surroundings.
Participation in the Hull MBA affords the
unique opportunity to take a step back,
gaining a wider perspective on the
international business environment and
appreciating its complex, interdependent
nature.
Fundamental issues such as the social
impact of management choices and
decisions are explored in order to provide
a holistic approach to business
management. The programme also
cultivates a critical awareness of
management practices used when dealing
with complexity in the global business arena
and encourages students to synthesise and
become critically aware of wider concerns
than the functional specialisms.
In order to achieve these aims, the taught
elements of the Hull MBA are organised
around five key themes.

The main functional areas in business are
addressed across the themes of Managing
Relationships, Managing the Value Chain
and Managing Knowledge. Well-rounded
managers, equipped for career
development, need to build on their
common grounding in functional areas of
business with an acceptance and awareness
of the relationships between these areas
and how each contributes to the
organisation as a whole.
Specialist functional expertise is important.
But most managers find that effective
decision making also involves intuition and
the balancing of different functional
perspectives in order to resolve complex
multifaceted problems and manage the
business.
Central to the Hull MBA, therefore, is
integrative material that comes under the
themes Managing in a Global Context and
Managing Strategically. These two themes
run throughout the programme and across
the functional themes.
The ways in which this material is
presented, and the ways in which students
are encouraged to reflect on it, foster the
development of effective managers – that
is, managers capable of creating, leading and
implementing a strategic vision while
acknowledging the global context in which
they operate and the whole of a business
enterprise.

MBA OVERVIEW
In summary, to be awarded the Hull MBA
students must complete
Two core modules in each of the five
themes
MANAGING IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT
Managing in organisations
Personal and professional development
MANAGING RELATIONSHIPS
Human resource management
The economic environment
MANAGING THE VALUE CHAIN
Marketing
Operations management
MANAGING KNOWLEDGE
Accounting and finance for managers
Research methods
MANAGING STRATEGICALLY
Managing holistically
Strategic management
Optional modules from the wide choice
available.
MBA Dissertation

INDUCTION

MANAGING IN A
GLOBAL CONTEXT
Managing in
organisations
Personal and
professional
development

MANAGING KNOWLEDGE
Accounting and finance
for managers
Research methods

OPTIONAL MODULES
DISSERTATION
Business School • 3

OPTIONAL MODULES

THE MBA DISSERTATION

STRUCTURE OF THE MBA

Optional modules enable students to focus
on particular interests by deepening and
broadening their understanding in a range
of diverse and regularly updated areas.
Students are encouraged to customise their
MBA according to their own career
aspirations with modules which reflect the
research strengths of staff.

Following completion of the taught
modules in the first two semesters, students
begin work on the MBA dissertation. At this
point they are well prepared to undertake
a substantial piece of independent work.

The academic year at the University of Hull
starts in September. Following a dedicated
induction programme for the Hull MBA, the
first teaching semester runs until December
with the second running from January to
the end of May. During that time, MBA
students complete their taught modules
organised around a number of integrated
themes.

The options relate to the Hull MBA’s core
themes and serve to develop knowledge
already acquired, either by building on it to
gain a more advanced understanding or by
introducing the study of new business areas.

The 15,000-word dissertation provides
students with an opportunity to carry out a
significant piece of research in an area of
personal interest related to the world of
business and management. Students are
supported by a dedicated academic
supervisor during the dissertation period
(June–August).

The summer period from June to August is
spent working independently, with academic
supervision, on the MBA dissertation.

OUTCOMES
This allows Hull MBA students to specialise
in a business area such as marketing,
finance, logistics or international business,
or to diversify and receive a broad
grounding across a number of topics. By
carefully choosing the right combination of
options and dissertation topic, students will
enhance their core MBA study and vastly
improve their value to employers.
The optional modules are chosen from
Managing in a Global Context
• Leadership and change in organisations
• International business
• Management and organisational learning
Managing relationships
• Business, economics and government
• International and comparative HRM
• Public sector management
Managing the Value Chain
• Integrated marketing communications
• Logistics and supply chain management
Managing Knowledge
• Corporate finance
• Financial decision-making
• Financial statement analysis
Managing Strategically
• Business innovation
• Complex project management
• Information systems management

INTERNATIONAL OPTION
The Business School encourages MBA
students to build an international study
option into their programme, taking
advantage of the five locations where the
Hull MBA is delivered to gain a valuable
added international perspective.
MBA students studying in the Business
School at Hull have the opportunity to
travel overseas to take one of their MBA
taught modules alongside the Hull MBA
cohort in Hong Kong, Singapore, Bahrain or
Oman.
You will gain a valuable cultural experience,
enlarge your familiarity with international
business contexts and practices, and widen
your networks and circle of colleagues and
friends.
The international study option may also
include an organisational visit at the
overseas location. These company visits
would be hosted by a fellow MBA student
at his or her workplace, ensuring a shared
context for host and visitor, and fostering
comparative perspectives among the Hull
MBA community.

The Hull MBA programme prepares its
graduates to be
• leaders who foster shared objectives and
are capable of transforming organisations
through excellent management practice
• professionals who recognise a firm’s
strategic and operational needs
• managers who understand the technical,
functional and specialised areas of
business
• integrators who combine business theory
and practice, and develop new ideas
We expect Hull MBA graduates to be
equipped to drive significant change
management programmes in order to
improve business and people performance.
Students who wish to progress further may
also be able to continue with further study
through MPhil and PhD programmes.

‘

Although my previous experience
was in the financial sector, I’ve
been able to build a career in
human resources management …
Case studies analysed while at Hull
give me an edge when dealing with
trade unionism, negotiations and
industrial issues … Hull gave me
an incomparable time … Living
and studying in Hull was an
exceptional and pleasant
experience.

’

4 • The Hull MBA

The key themes of the Hull MBA
MANAGING IN A GLOBAL
CONTEXT
Modules
• Managing in organisations
• Personal and professional development
Managing in a Global Context helps to
establish the Hull MBA as a vehicle for
professional and personal development in
the international business arena.
Management development, a major
underlying concern of the programme, is
here related to personal effectiveness,
cultural diversity, management thinking,
organisational life and individuals as change
agents.
Participants will be encouraged to locate
their own experiences within a historical,
cultural ‘map’ of management thinking while
focusing on the development of selfawareness and the skills required for
managing in organisations characterised by
change and uncertainty.
Their own development, skills and
international awareness are further
enhanced through a range of activities and
opportunities. These include team building,
leadership development, and negotiating
and influencing skills. Studying an additional
language or making informal use of the
Open Learning Centre for Languages is
encouraged, as this can be valuable for
managers in today’s international
environment.
Broad issues of ethics and sustainability are
rising on the business agenda, as businesses
themselves are being asked to consider the
economic, social and environmental impacts
of their activities. A broader range of
stakeholders is also finding ever more
creative ways of exercising their power and
influence. Rather than simply responding to
these pressures, many businesses are driving
forward an enhanced way of doing business
– an approach known as corporate social
responsibility (CSR).

‘

The MBA programme is not the
end; it is actually the beginning of a
new journey and a new experience
… I am proud to be a Hull
graduate.

’

Managers hoping to thrive in the global
environment should develop a critical and
multidisciplinary understanding of CSR that
includes the broader context of business
and its social and environmental impact;
how to accommodate social and
environmental concerns in management
decision making and the development of
business strategy; sustainable business
practices; stakeholder analysis and related
issues; and cultural diversity issues and
employment practices.
Students are also given the chance to
practise their skills in ‘real-life’ business
situations, but without the real-life
consequences, through business simulation
games. The games allow for integrated
learning and the application of business
theory to genuine business problems
before the students have to do it for real.

They build on the experience and insights
of people management in business and
service organisations, evaluate organisational
and individual barriers to implementing ‘best
practice’, and explore possible strategies for
improving internal and external
relationships to achieve an organisation’s
strategic objectives.

MANAGING THE VALUE CHAIN
Modules
• Marketing
• Operations management
Managing the value chain provides a holistic
and critical perspective on the key changes
and trends which have taken place in
marketing and the management of business
operations in recent years. The focus is on
customers and value added by firms in
providing products and services to meet
the needs of the market.

MANAGING RELATIONSHIPS
Modules
• Human resource management
• The economic environment
Managing Relationships focuses on internal
and external stakeholders, bringing together
strategy and practice in the management of
human resources and an understanding of
the wider business environment and its
impact on business performance.
Students undertake a broad survey of the
business environment as it impinges on
business decision making, covering social,
technological, political, legal and economic
factors. This equips them to assess the
relative impacts of such factors at any given
time and use this information to inform
strategic decision making.
A key outcome of this theme is the ability
to apply an economic perspective to a wide
variety of issues and problems that students
will encounter throughout their professional
lives. These range from company-level
pricing decisions to examining the
international effects of exchange rates.
Students also explore key aspects of
managing people in the workplace and how
elements of human resource management
affect and support organisational
performance.

We also examine the critical importance of
logistics and supply chain management for
modern businesses by linking theoretical
developments with contemporary practices,
both in a UK context and internationally.
Both the marketing and the logistics
functions require collaboration and
relationships with other functional areas of
the firm, and these relationships are
explored within the context of a value
chain – benefiting the customer and the
company.
Key theoretical marketing concepts and
aspects of applied marketing practice
encourage students to develop a critical
perspective on how marketing activities
help build strategic and sustainable value,
resulting in long-term competitive
advantage in specific markets.
Students will examine current practice,
policy and opinion within logistics,
operations and marketing management in
order to assess how optimum performance
can be realised, in terms of the organisation
as a whole and its constituent parts –
developing sophisticated strategies to
achieve this goal.

Business School • 5

MANAGING KNOWLEDGE

MANAGING STRATEGICALLY

Modules
• Accounting and finance for managers
• Research methods

• Managing holistically
• Strategic management

Managing Knowledge emphasises issues
about knowledge: what knowledge is
relevant, how best to acquire it (and how
to cope when it is not available), and how
to put it to use so that it genuinely
contributes to the analysis of complex
problems and to effective decision making.
Students are introduced to research
methods that are commonly used in
business and management, and we
emphasise the crucial importance of
considering how data is collected,
constructed and interpreted in the context
of particular problems and the light that can
be shed upon them.
This also provides a platform for the
development of understanding about the
selection and design of research methods,
giving due consideration to the research
question(s), contextual constraints and
issues of ethics and validity.
The nature and value of financial
information is also explored, so that
managers can communicate effectively with
specialist members of their team through
their understanding of financial information
and those aspects of finance most relevant
to the management of corporations.

Managing Strategically builds the necessary
perspective that actual or aspiring senior
managers will need to take and put into
practice – a perspective that takes account
of the business organisation as a whole, its
purpose and strategic development, and
one that informs managerial decision
making.
Attention is focused on case studies and a
business game. A significant amount of time
is spent on the analysis of large-scale,
complex, unstructured problems. As well as
encouraging the application of all that has
been learnt during the programme, this also
facilitates the development of high-level
transferable skills, including communication,
analysis, problem solving, teamwork and
presentation.
The field of strategic management is highly
fragmented, full of controversy and
conflicting theories, viewpoints and
evidence. The aim is therefore to inform
students about the complexity, richness and
debates in and around strategic
management, and to assist them in asking
critical questions – rather than seeking
ready techniques or tools or certain
answers.
Students are asked to consider the nature
of and approaches to strategy; corporate
mission, responsibility and governance;
customer analysis and market segmentation;
innovation and dynamic competition; and
whether strategy matters. Attention is also
paid to strategic choices and decisions,
including those of building and applying
resources and capabilities; cost leadership
and differentiation; integration;
diversification; outsourcing; strategic
alliances; globalisation; and organisational
change.

Students also develop an understanding of
core concepts and holistic thinking about
management decision making and problem
solving that assists with defining problems,
effecting change and developing
organisational learning. And they are
encouraged and stimulated to develop
understanding, synthesis and application of
concepts and techniques covered
throughout the Hull MBA.
This material benefits from the Business
School’s distinctive expertise in systems
approaches to management decision
making. A range of methodologies and
techniques are considered, as are two
complementary systems approaches to
problem solving: one that emphasises
structures and control systems – known as
the viable system model; and another that
emphasises participation and changing
world-views – known as soft systems
methodology.
Discussion of these approaches provides
the basis for a review of systems thinking as
a means of creating learning organisations.
Students will thus be equipped to recognise
and evaluate the motives and reasons that
lead to strategic decisions and action
patterns on integration, diversification,
globalisation, alliances and organisational
change.

‘

The MBA programme really
opened new horizons … The way
that I modelled or dissected issues,
and the way that I articulated my
comments, viewpoints, proposals,
planning and implementations, have
impressed my peers and superiors
… Naturally, through being
equipped with better knowledge,
my performance also improved
and I was soon entrusted with
more and more responsible
roles.

’

6 • The Hull MBA

Support, benefits and outcomes
The Hull MBA begins with a structured
induction programme. Classes are taught in
dedicated teaching accommodation in the
Business School and incorporate a variety of
teaching styles, including lectures, group
discussions and presentations. Students will
also be involved in problem-solving and
teamworking exercises.
To support students through their course
and prepare them for assignments and
examinations, the Business School provides
extensive learning materials. Students have
unlimited access to an excellent library,
broadband-enabled PCs and e-journals.
The learning experience is enhanced by the
variety of means by which information is
imparted, with emphasis on opportunities
for engagement and interaction. These not
only add to the sum of knowledge that you
gain throughout the course but also
contribute to the development of key
transferable skills.

As well as stimulating business simulations
and games, outside speakers further
enhance the MBA programme and enliven
modules by relating their real-life
experiences to provoke fresh insights into
business practice. The Business School also
organises research seminars, to which MBA
students are invited and in which they are
encouraged to participate.
Company visits allow MBA participants to
experience first-hand the UK business
environment, and all MBA students are
assigned a personal supervisor who is a
source of pastoral care, information and
links with other support services in the
University.
Accommodation which is owned, managed
or directed by the University is guaranteed
for all unaccompanied overseas students,
and further information on this can be
found from the University’s website at
www.hull.ac.uk/accom.

BENEFITS
The unique approach of the Hull MBA
delivers tangible results in terms of
professional and personal development,
significantly increasing your earnings
potential.
• With a robust understanding of how
businesses work you can make an
immediate impact on entry into any
organisation – giving you the edge in
competitive jobs market
• The holistic approach of the Hull MBA
allows you to see fundamental business
connections and grasp opportunities
where there are gaps in the market – we
encourage you to act as entrepreneurs
every day
• The programme will change the way you
approach problems – building your
courage and confidence as you test your
new found skills in this risk-free
environment
• An awareness of global issues will help
you to make better informed business
decisions by seeing the bigger picture of
external forces which will shape your
decision making
• As an internationally recognised
qualification the Hull MBA will increase
your worth to any organisation
• Access to the latest thinking and
opportunities to take on real business
projects deliver a deeper understanding
of how theory works in practice.
• An appreciation of how other areas
within an organisation work will allow
you to communicate more effectively
with colleagues and motivate staff

Business School • 7

CAREER DEVELOPMENT AND
NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES
The Hull MBA equips students for career
progression through the enhanced
knowledge and skills taught thus creating
excellent employment opportunities. In
addition to the dedicated Career
Management programme and career
development opportunities provided by the
Business School and its alumni association,
MBA students further benefit from the
School’s affiliation with AMBA.
Students and graduates from the Hull MBA
can draw upon AMBA’s unique world-wide
contact network and take advantage of a
full range of benefits and services and
access to high profile business and academic
speakers. The association has 8,000
members who live and work in over 62
countries, and around two thirds of its
members are senior managers, board
directors or CEOs.
AMBA helps its members improve
themselves and their career opportunities
through a regular programme of
networking meetings, events and lifelong
learning activities.
Its strength lies in the involvement of MBAs
working in the local and international
business arenas. With 70% of senior jobs
filled without ever being advertised and
25% arising from referrals and contacts,
networking is key. ‘What you know’ is
important. But so is ‘Who you know’.
Further details can be found at
www.mbaworld.com
All MBA students are also able to take
advantage of automatic membership of the
CIPD at Licentiate level.
HUBSoc, the Business School’s own student
society, arranges a host of professional
events and social evenings for MBA
students to enjoy, so that every aspect of
university life is covered.
With its own alumni association, the
Business School also offers opportunities to
enhance the business careers of its students
and expert guidance is offered to MBA
students seeking employment through a
dedicated Career Management programme.
8 • The Hull MBA

‘

The learning experience matured
my personal confidence as well as
my professional capabilities, as I
began to see opportunities to
deploy in the workplace those
skills gained on the course … And
indeed this process continues in a
very significant way today in my
current role.

’

About the Business School
Hull University Business School provides a
stimulating environment in which fundamental
issues within international business and
management are studied, developed and used
to influence practice.
Our aim is to equip managers and business
professionals to succeed in a fast-changing
and interdependent world. All areas of our
activity are interconnected – our excellent
research, learning and teaching across
disciplines and our strong links to
commercial and international organisations
– which means that our students benefit
from a holistic view of the complex and
constantly evolving global business
environment. All of this, along with the
specialist skills derived from their
programme of study, prepares them to
enter any organisation and make a
noticeable and immediate difference.
The school is housed in four inspiring listed
buildings which have been sympathetically
renovated to accommodate the seamless
integration of first-class modern facilities,
including dedicated computer suites, a
management learning laboratory with the
capacity for interactive business simulations,
and a 500-seat lecture theatre. Our
postgraduate students also benefit from the
University’s vast library collections and
electronic information resources as well as
access to extensive, modern ICT facilities.
The recently opened Logistics Institute,
based in the fourth building, has created an
excellent world-class facility, with students
throughout the school further benefiting
from this prestigious development.

ENDORSEMENTS
The Business School is one of only 20 UK
institutions to receive endorsement from
both EQUIS (the European Quality
Improvement System) and AMBA (the
Association of MBAs) – two of the leading
global accreditation systems for business
schools.
The award of EQUIS from the European
Foundation for Management Development
confirms that the school conforms to
demanding external standards. This
accreditation assures of the highest levels of
quality and recognises our strong corporate
connections. It also demonstrates that the
school operates on a truly international
level.
Accredited by AMBA, the Hull MBA
provides graduates with an internationally
recognised qualification, greatly enhancing
the value of this degree. As members of
AMBA, the school joins a network of
established business schools committed to
developing the business leaders of
tomorrow. This association provides Hull
MBA graduates with a wide range of
personal and professional developmental
opportunities.

commitment to delivering the very best in
teaching quality and the learning
environment. Thanks to the rigorous
accreditation process and the high
standards set, the school is well positioned
to enhance the quality of its learning and
teaching, further its research, and increase
its links with the corporate world –
equipping our graduates with the
knowledge and skills needed to compete in
the global business environment.’
The quality of the school’s teaching has also
been rated as ‘excellent’ by the UK’s Quality
Assurance Agency (QAA), with our
doctoral training programme receiving
recognition from the Economic and Social
Research Council (ESRC), the leading UK
body for research accreditation in the social
sciences, including business and
management.
In the last Research Assessment Exercise
(2001) the Business School received an
excellent rating of ‘4’, classifying its research
as of national and international excellence.
Eight international publications are currently
edited from the school and individual
members hold visiting professorships or
fellowships at over 40 institutions in more
than 20 nations.

Professor Mike Jackson, dean of the
Business School, comments ‘Hull University
Business School is delighted to have
received both EQUIS and AMBA
accreditation, demonstrating our

With extensive resources, a friendly and
supportive learning and research
environment, and effective career advice
and development, the Business School
offers a wealth of opportunities for those
seeking career and academic development
through postgraduate study.
Further information about the school can
be found at www.hull.ac.uk/hubs.

Business School • 9

Research at Hull University Business
School
Research is central to the activities of Hull
University Business School, which is dedicated
to the production and dissemination of
internationally influential business, economics
and management research. Through our
research we make a significant contribution to
Hull’s reputation as one of the UK’s leading
research-engaged universities, which is
committed to supporting an active and
vigorous research community and fostering
interdisciplinary collaborations.
Our world-class academics, including 16 full
professors, play major roles in the
international academic community. Their
research, disseminated through books and
leading peer-reviewed international journals,
generates and advances new knowledge
and ideas; inspires new ways of working;
underpins new teaching content and
methods; and supports strong relationships
with universities, businesses and institutions
both regionally and internationally.
Research at the school is organised through
six centres of excellence:
Centre for Economic Policy (CEP)
provides a focus for research in applied
economics.

Centre for International Accounting and
Finance (CIAF) has an emphasis on applied
and international work on financial
reporting as well as accounting for
intellectual capital, accounting education,
real estate and entrepreneurial finance.
UHLI Research focuses on excellence in
global logistics and supply chain
management.
Centre for Management and
Organisational Learning (CMOL) is
concerned with the understanding, critique
and improvement of learning processes for
managers and organisations.
Centre for Marketing, Communications
and International Strategy (CMCIS)
focuses on the strategic use of integrated
marketing communications as well as other
applied research in marketing and
international strategy.
Centre for Systems Studies (CSS) is an
international focal point for research in the
theory and practice of systems thinking,
organisational cybernetics and complexity
theory.

RESEARCH DEGREES
The Business School offers research
degrees in the areas covered by its six
research centres at the levels of
Doctor of Philosophy and Master of
Philosophy (PhD/MPhil) – a three year
full-time programme (or occasionally five
year part-time). Successful applicants to
the PhD are first registered on an MPhil
and are then expected to upgrade from
MPhil to PhD through an Upgrade
Seminar (comprising a 10,000 word
research report and presentation) within
12 months of their initial registration.
Exceptionally, students may continue on
the MPhil which is, in total, a two year fulltime programme (three year part-time).
Master of Research (MRes) – a one year
foundation programme that provides an
ideal preparation for students wishing to
study for a PhD but whose first degree or
Masters degree did not contain a
sufficient research training element. The
programme of study includes modules on
research philosophy, quantitative and
qualitative research techniques, generic
research skills, interview skills, survey
methodologies and appropriate subject
related options. Successful completion
allows progression to the MPhil/PhD
programme.
Both are high-quality programmes
recognised by the Economic and Social
Research Council (ESRC). Further
information is available at www.esrc.ac.uk.

For more information on research degrees
at Hull University Business School, please
visit the website www.hull.ac.uk/hubs or
contact the school for a brochure on our
research opportunities.

10 • The Hull MBA

The University and the city
A CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE

HULL AND THE REGION

The University of Hull is a centre of
excellence in teaching and research and has
a reputation as one of Britain’s friendliest
universities, with active links to industry and
commerce and the local community, as well
as an international reputation. It was
founded in 1927 as a college of the
University of London and achieved its
independence in 1954 as the 14th
university in England.

The vibrant riverside city of Hull is a
pleasant, student-friendly place to live and
offers something to suit every mood, day or
night. With £1 billion invested over the last
five years there’s a new buzz about the city,
an exhilarating mix of culture, shopping and
nightlife.

Hull has a very strong maritime heritage
and has been a major port for seven
centuries. Trade is now at record levels, and
state-of-the-art superferries sail daily to and
from Rotterdam and Zeebrugge. High levels
of investment planned in the Hull and
Humber Ports will see further benefits for
the city region in the coming years.

Hull offers a fascinating mix of the old and
the new, the historic and the contemporary,
with a range of interesting monuments and
museums alongside modern bars and coffee
houses.

The city also has a proud sporting heritage,
with a successful football club, two Super
League rugby clubs, a champion ice hockey
team and speedway. If you are interested in
sport, there is plenty to watch in Hull.

For a cultured day out, the Ferens Art
Gallery, in the heart of the city, is home to
unique exhibitions and live art. Hull also
boasts an award-winning Museum’s Quarter
and The Deep – the world’s only
submarium, home to hundreds of species of
marine life.

For those more interested in nightlife, there
is also much to do. When the sun sets on
the city, its numerous pubs, bars, restaurants
and nightclubs come alive, and students
who venture into town can have a really
good time exploring them. The Princes
Avenue area, a short walk from the
University itself, has recently flourished into
a cosmopolitan and relaxed café and bar
scene, offering a wide range of stylish bars
and eateries covering a range of world
cuisines.

Nearly all academic departments and
services are located on the main campus
on the outskirts of the city of Hull. Unusual
among universities, it occupies neither a
cramped city centre site nor a rural one
and it has benefited from a location with
room for extensive developments – such as
the Business School’s new premises.
General information about the University
and its facilities for graduate students can
be found at www.hull.ac.uk.

If you want to shop till you drop, Hull is the
perfect place to do it. Princes Quay and the
new St. Stephen’s development, Hull’s main
shopping and leisure centres, accommodate
many well-known high-street names. The
city also has its own selection of boutiques
in attractive arcades, as well as a traditional
Edwardian market selling fresh fruits,
vegetables, meat and fish.

The Hull Campus is approximately an
hour’s drive from historic York. The cities of
Sheffield, Leeds, Manchester and
Nottingham are also easily accessible by rail
or road; and the train from Hull to London
takes around 2.5 hours. Hull is served by
international airports at Manchester, Leeds
and Humberside and by overnight ferries to
Europe.
The city of Hull is one of the least
expensive places to live in the UK. You can
find information on accommodation, both
at the University and in Hull, on the
University’s website (www.hull.ac.uk/accom).

‘

The lecturers have been excellent,
and I have thoroughly enjoyed the
group work … I like the fact that I
am learning with senior people
from other fields – the variety of
students’ backgrounds on the
course is an advantage.

’

Business School • 11

Applying for the Hull MBA
To be eligible for admission, applicants
should normally possess
• a minimum of three years’ appropriate
work experience
• a good first degree awarded by a UK
university or comparable overseas
institution, or an equivalent professional
qualification
• a minimum IELTS score of 6.0 or TOEFL
score of 213 for the computer-based test
and 79 for the internet-based test, for
applicants whose native language is not
English or who have not studied a degree
programme in an English speaking
country
• two satisfactory written references, one
in respect of work and one academic,
although applicants with more than five
years’ work experience may submit two
work references
A good first degree equates to a First or
Second Class honours degree at Bachelor
level. A First Class pass is equivalent to a
GPA (out of 4.0) of 3.5-4.0; a Second Class
pass is equivalent to a GPA of 2.6-3.4.
Applicants who do not have a first degree
or equivalent professional qualification, but
meet the other eligibility criteria, may
submit a Portfolio of Evidence to
demonstrate that they can benefit from,
contribute to and succeed on the MBA
programme.
A portfolio may include, for example, details
of significant work projects carried out,
information about strategic analyses
undertaken (for example, budgets and
strategic forecasts), company reports, or
other contributions to policy formulation
and implementation. The portfolio might
also include information about other
courses taken, and training and
development programmes attended. The
aim is to demonstrate that the applicant’s
business knowledge and experience are
sufficient to allow them to fulfil the
academic requirements of the Hull MBA.

12 • The Hull MBA

Eligible applicants must also submit
• a University of Hull Postgraduate
Application Form, completed and signed
• a current CV
• a 200-word personal statement indicating
what you hope to gain from the MBA
and the contribution you would make to
the programme
Eligible applicants will be interviewed by
Business School staff, either by telephone or
face to face, to discuss the application. This
is also an opportunity for the applicant to
ask questions about particular aspects of
the Hull MBA, and to receive further
information about the programme of study.
The Business School offers a number of
scholarships to UK/EU and international
MBA participants each year, and further
details of these can be found on the
school’s website at www.hull.ac.uk/hubs.
An application pack may be obtained from:
The University of Hull Admissions Office
Hull, HU6 7RX
admissions@hull.ac.uk
Information about applying to the
University for the Hull MBA postgraduate
programme, tuition fees, and scholarships
can also be found through the link to
‘admissions’ from the University’s home
page at www.hull.ac.uk or from the MBA
pages at www.hull.ac.uk/hubs. A
postgraduate application form can also be
downloaded.

FURTHER INFORMATION
If you would like further information please
contact:
Postgraduate Office
Hull University Business School
Hull
HU6 7RX
T:
F:
E:

DISCLAIMER
The University of Hull will use all reasonable
endeavours to deliver programmes in
accordance with their descriptions in this
publication. However, it reserves the right to
make variations in the contents or methods of
delivery or assessment, to discontinue
programmes and to merge or combine them, if
such action is considered necessary. If the
university does discontinue any programme, it
will use reasonable endeavours to provide a
suitable alternative.